Machine for making chain-cloth.



lP. BEMENT. MACHINE FCR MAKING CHAIN CLOTH.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29, 1908.

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APPLICATION FILED JUNE 29. 1908 y Patented June 7, 1910.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

@l1/Je; mw @fr i Z ,256117671 F. BEMBNT. MAQHINB POB. MAKING CHAIN CLOTH.

APPLIOATIOH FILED JUNE 29, 190B.

patented June" 7, 1910.

3 lKEBTB--BHBET 3.

, .UNITED .STATES PATENT oFFieE.

FRANK BEMENT, OF SHREWSBURY, MASSACHUSETTS.

MACHINE FOR MAKING'CHTAIN-.GL0TH.

To' .all 'ivlwm 'it concerm' -U Be it -known that I, FRANK BEMENT, a

citizen of the United States, residing at Shrewsburypin the countyfof Worcester and State of Massachusetts, have invented a new and usefulMachi-ne for Making Chain- Cloth, of which the following is a specification. o l

lThis invention relates to a machine especially designed for making chain fabric which'is made up of interlaced metallic circular links or rings but capable of use for making chains and fabric-of other kinds.

rPhe principal object of the invention is to provide eilicient mechanism by means of which such a fabric or chain can be made in a more expeditious and practicable manner than heretofore so as to eliminate hand operations.

` The invention involves mechanical means for holding the, links of the fabric, and

means for making the new links and inten' lacing them with the old ones, and for continuing to support the fabric as it is pro.- duced in the machine, thepoints of support at one end being shiftedso as to permit the new linkst-o be attached.'

. lhsinvention also involves details of conas will be pointed dutV lin the ms. urther objects and advantages of the inappear hereinafter. Reference is to .be had ,to the accompanyingl drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan of apor'tion of the machine Aembodying 'this invention; Fig.'2 is l a front elevation of the same; Fig..3 is a plan .of the link forming die and connective partsgfFig. 4 is an elevation of the same; Fig. 5 is a fra mentaryplan on an enlarged scale showlng how the links are made and supported; Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view ofthe same; Eig. 7 1s a diagrammatic view showing the way in which the links yare supported when they are in position shown in Figs. 5 and 6; Fic'. 8 is a simi#y lar view showing .the next position; Fig. 9

is a plan partly in section showing the next step; Fig. 10 is a View similar to 8 showing the parts in the osition next to that shown in Fig.' 9; and `ig. 11 is a diay grainmatic view showing vhow the third rowl of. links are applied.

This yinvention is designed for making chain fabrics, such forexample as are ordi# y Speei'cation vof Letters Patent.

Application :tiled .Tune 29, 1908. Serial No. 440,852.

Patented AJune 7, 1910.

in which each link of the fabricconsists of more than one convolution of Wire and thev links are intermeshed with each other so vthat a fabric will -be produced capable of standing very hard usa yIn accordance with t e present invention a single length of wire is fed between the feed rolls 10 along a guide 11 to a die which consistsof a curved back die 12`and 'a bend# ing member or pin 13 curved to the same shae and located in contact withthe curved sur ace of the back die. The wire-is fed by the rolls into a helical groove` 130 -in one of the die'members, as the pin 13, and is .pushed forward so as to receive abendatthispoint, and to continue in -t-he form of a circle. On account of the slight slant of thelgroo've 130 the 'link or rin a being formed'will-tend Vto emerge in the orm of a' coil extending along the bending die member or pin 13. This is overcome and the coil' left on the other side of the wire by means of a guard 14 extending into contact with the wire as it comes out of thegroove so asto bring it over to the other side of the entering wire centrar to the natural tendency produced by'zthe le t ghanded -helical groove 130,50 that aV resilient close coil maybe formed. This :located that the advancing end of the wire ard i's sowill come down by the outer side of theincoming wire and continue to coil up adja- :cent to it. Theguide 11 is provided with a shield 15 for keeping the wire in proper .position and guiding it from the die. .This jshield is curved over and receives the wire as :it follows around from the guard. A cutting knife 16 is employed and is so connected' up and operated that it cuts offv .the wire a te r it passes through .the die-in a periodical' manner so that each circular link sha-1l have the same number of convolutions or partsolf convolutions.

The invention as shown herein comprises `means for making a fabric .in which each -link is formed of-a little less than -two com-l plete cenvolutions, but it will be Lunderstood that the cutting mechanism may be caused to operate in anyv periodical time so aste produce anyother number of convolutions on e'ach link or rin The mechanism for operating the cutter 1s not hereinillustrated as that is well understood. inthisl art and -does not form a part of this invention.

forwardl The way in whi h the wire is fed tion of the machine illustrated in the' draw-4t ings for su ortin and mani ulatin the fabrieiasfitpifs Iforrgned so.y as fb bring the pro er links thereof into position forintermes ing therewith each n ew link as it is formed, and for holding the fabric taut andl tion ofthe machine;

The machine is'shown as comprising a bed 17 on'which is mounted a pair of elevated tracks'or ways 18 which s rpport a pair of carriages 19 and 20., Both of these carriages are shown as' intermittently moved forward and back by means of a rock shaft 2l connected with the carriagesby a pair of cranks 22. The rock shaft Imay be'operated intermittently in any desired way'as by a cam (not shown)y for example. A 'spring 23 is. shown -for pulling the rock shaft back in opposition to the cam. Each of these Vcarriages is provided with a support numbered respectively 24,.'25 and' 26. Thevsupports 24 and 215 are located 'on the carriage 19 and pivoted thereto on axes parallel with the in proper-iposition'during the entire opera" direction of motion of the carriage so as to permit them lto have a swinging mot1on.' This motion 1s caused by the reciprocation of three slides 27 which are moved by a rock shaft 28 operated in any desired way, as for example a spring 29 and cam (not shown). These slides 27 have rods 270 on which the supports are loosely pivoted to permit them to operate in all positions of the supports. On each of` the supports is a slide, these slides being numbered 30, 31 and 32 respectively. The slides 30 and 31 and the supports 24 and 25 are operated by means of' cams, not shown, or the like, through arms 33 and 34 to have a certain sequence of operation as will be described hereinafter.

The-way in which the arms 33 and 34 are connected with the slides 30 and 3l is indicated in Fig. 1, inl which the arm 34 is shown. This is provided with a rod 35y like the rods 270 passing through a slot 36 inthe slide. The arm does not move transversely of the frame, but swings so als to givethe on the frame. The slide 32 is providedfwilth a bar or comb-37 thereon liavin'g1aifse'ii'es'of" hooks 38 which constitute means engagingy the first links of the` fabric chain or chain cloth. The two.slides 30 and 31V are 'also`r` provided with bars or combs 40 and 41 whi'ich carry flower hooks 42 and upper hooks 43 respectively. hi I At the commencement of the""operation ofy makinfg'the fabric, the hooks 38'are brought' 1 up to the hooks 43 and to the jwire bending f.

deviceuand the `irst row of rihg'sfo'r links 'are Y. 'jg if j.. i made directly on the two sets of hooks. The Aicomb, 37 and hooks 38 are moved up to this position by an arm 44 which is operated inv any desired manner-, preferably by means of a cam (not shown), to engage a roll 45 onf the 'slide'andl push the slide up intof-the l position shown in Figs. `5, 6 and 7, in which casel the hooks 38 and 43 overlap so that each ring, can be made over one of ear; indicated in these igures.

the fabric taut.` Then the hooks 43 are drawn back as indicated by the arrow in Fig. 7 to the position shown in Fig. 8. Simultaneously the hooks 42v are moved for? ward by the arm 33 and the hooks 43 moved downward by the slide 27 so that the parts will be brought into the positionV shown` in Figs. 8 and v9, and then as the carriages travel across intermittently the second series of rings b will be formed', each one over two of the series a, and over one'of the hooks 42, so that the'` second series of rings will be formed in position to be engaged by the hooks 42V when the latter are drawn back,` which is the next operation of the device. Now the hooks 42 go back in thedirecton 'of the arrow in Fig. 10, the hooks 43 are to that shown in Fig. 2, except that in` that 'number of links.

beve mentionedI vmotionsarje. repeated so las y c' out in'to poition"parallel"`with'the 'links' ain Fig. 8', an wfrd and lup so' ieittly'for'ward to zper'init the next set-tof`v way as thelinks b: f "fter this is done,'th'e` hooks 43 are withdrawn as" above, 'and the this timefthe `fabric-is-held on the right hand 'solas to keep the fabric taut.

ends ofi-the fabric level-whenA the links are then bring the hooks 42``for f A asjito disengaigethem` from the' liiiks'tib.' They are left however 'suiis slide the proper motion in all posit-ins4 thereof as the carriage moves back and'forth "lils to begfformed 'upon' them in the same process repeated. It will bex seenI` that fall i J 5 .i Theinext operation of theinaeliineisto y: withdraw the arm 44, and let aiweighft46 hung on a cord or chain 47 and ypassing over. i a pulley 48 pull the comb 37 backtol keepl again brought up, and then ',dow'n to disen` gage them from the links or rings 'a and leave the two, sets of links supported by the hooks 38 and 42. This is a position similar...

case the fabric shown with an additional' j The knext row of linkse" L will then be formed as indicated in `Fi 11k les side, eithergby the hooks 42 or by the hooks f 1' 43; and in both cases the fabric is held on 7 f Y the other side` by the hooks 38 which are conf .'fst'antly under the tension of the weight 46 At each operation also the left hand slide 27 moves with .'the rightLhand'sl-ide soA as to keep the two being formed. Ordinarily in making` dish cloths from link fabrics of this kind, they are made straight across for the major portion of their Width, but are given a V-shape at the end. This is accomplished in the present machine by allowing all motions to be gone through with clear to the apex of the V, and automatically throwing out the wire-feeding and link-forming mechanism at the ends by means of an index Wheel or the like (not shown) so Vas to reduce the number of 'links formed inv each row until the last one, in which only one is formed in the mid dle. lVhen the fabric is completed it is left supported by the hooks 38 and l2 which point down. After the lastlink or links are completed the cam operates the arm 44 forward to move the hooks 38 up to the hooks l2 which causes the fabric to sag down in the middle and drop oft' the hooks. Thus the entire operation of the machine including the removal of the fabric is automatic,

For the sake of avoiding prolifrity of specification and indistinctness in the drawings, l' have omitted the illustration of the particular cams and index wheel which have been employed for bringing about the above mentioned motions of the parts. They can be designed by any skilled mechanic, as any other means may be devised for moving these `parte in the desired way.

While I have illustrated and described preferred embodiment of the invention, I am aware that the same may be carried out in many other forms and with many modifications without departing from the 'scope of the invention as expressed in the claims. Therefore l do not Wish to be limited to all the details of construction shown and described, but

Vhat l do claim is 1. A machine of the character described comprising a frame or bed, means for forming circular wire links, and a movably mounted bar supported by the frame or bed, hooks thereon, a second bar movably mounted on said frame and spaced from the first bar, and hooks on the second bar extending toward the hooks on the first for receiving the links.

2. A machine of the character described comprising means for forming closed circular wire links, a pair of oppositely disposed bars, hooks on each bar extending toward the other for receiving the links, and means for constantly pulling one of said bars from the other.

3. Tn a machine for manufacturing chain cloth, the combination with means for making series of separate closed links, of a pair of bars, hooks on said bars for carry'- ing the chain cloth as it is made, and a tension device for constantly pulling one of said bars from the other as the chain lcloth is made and held between the twoV sets -of hooks.

la lin a machine of the character described, the combination with means for making series of separate closed links, of a set of 'tension hooks for receiving the links, means for keeping said hooks under tension, and two sets ofjhooks located opposite the tension hooks and adapted to engage the fabric alternately.

5, ln a machine of the character described, the combination with means for making series of separate closed links, of a set of hooks adapted to engage one edge of the product, and two sets of hooks adapted to engage alternately the other edge of the 'product'. l

6. ln a machine for making chain cloth, the combination with means for making series of separate closed links, of a set of hooks for engaging the fabric, means opposite said hooks for receiving the links as they are niamifactured, means for moving the hooks toward said firstnamed means when the fabric is commenced, and means for thereafter keeping said hooks under tension to keep the fabric taut.

7. ln a machine, of the character described, the combination with means for making series of separate closed links, of movable mea-ns for supporting the lirst formed edge of the fabric, movable means for supporting the other edge of the fabric, and means for moving the first-named means toward the second means.

8. ln a machine of the character described, the combination with means for making series of separate closed links, of movable means. for suppe g the first formed edge of the fabric movable means for su" orting the other the fabric, and means for' thereafter keeping the first named means under tension to keep the fabric taut.

9. In a machine for making chain cloth, the combination. with means for making series of separate closed' links,-of means for supporting the first formed edge of the fabric, means for engaging the first set of links thereof, and means for thereafter engaging the second set or row of links and holding 'the fabric thereby,

l0. l'n a machine for making., chain cloth, the combination of means for holding the first formed side of the fabric, a series of upper hooks and a series of lower hooks, said upper and lower hooks being movable tom ward and from said means, and means adapted to engaoe said upper and lower hooks with alternate series or rows of links of the fabric.

il, ln a machine for making chain the combination of means for holdin@ ine first formed side of the fabric, a series of upper hooks and a series of lower hooks,

said upper` and lower] hooks being movable toward and from said means and being adapted to engage .alternate series or rows of links ofthe fabric, the upper hooks hav- 4ing their" hook ends uppermost, and the lower hooks having their hook ends extending downwardly.

12., In a machine for making chain cloth,

the combination of means for holding the first-formed side of the fabric, a series of upper hooks and a series of lower hooks, said upper and lower hooks lbeing movable toward and from said means, and being adapted to engage alternate series or rows of links of the fabric,"'a'nd means for moving both of said sets of hooks forward and back so as alternately to engage a series of links and release them. 13. In a machine fon making chain cloth, the combination of means for forming ring links, a plurality of sets of hooks for supporting the chain cloth, and means for moving all the hooks togetherl up and then down between the ring making operations to take a ring from the ring-forming means and put the hooks in position to receive the next ring link.

14:. In a machine of the character described, the combination of means for engaging the edge of the fabric, means for moving said means longitudinally and then transversely in a predetermined path, and means for forming circular closed chain links on the first named means.

15. In a machine of the character dei scribed, the combination of a frame, transfeo verse guides supported thereby, a carriage movable along the guides, a slide mounted to reciprocate on the carriage, means on the slide for supporting the edge of the fabric while being formed, and means .for moving the slide in a predetermined path.

16. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a frame, a transverse guide thereon, a carriage movable along said guide, a slide mounted to reciprocate on the carriage at right angles to the direction of motion of the carriage, hooks on the slide for engaging the edge of the fabric, and lmeans for .moving the slide in a predetermined path.

17. In a machine of the character7 described, the combination of a frame, a transverse guide supported thereby, a cam-iage reciprocate on the carriage, means on the slide for supporting the edge of the fabric while being formed, a tilting support on the carriage on which the slide is mounted, and means for swinging said support.

19. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a frame, a carriage movable transversely thereon, two supports pivoted on said carriage on axes located parallel with the direction of motion of the carriage, a slide mounted on each of said supports, and. fabric engaging means carried by both of said slides.

20. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a frame, a carriage movable transversely thereon, two supports pivoted on saidcarriage on axes located parallel with the direction of motion of the carriage, a slide mounted on each of said supports, fabric engaging means carried b both of said slides, and means for alternately moving each fabric engaging means in position to engage the fabric.

21. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a plurality of swinging supports, a slide mounted on each of said supports, fabric engaging means carried by said slides, and means for manipulating the slides and supports to alternately engage said fabric engaging means with the fabric.

22. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a plurality Vof swinging supports, a slide mounted on each of said supports, fabric engaging means carried by said slide, means for manipulating the' slides and supports to alternately engage said fabric engaging means with the fabric,'and means opposite said fabric engaging means for holding the opposite side of the fabric and keeping it under tension.

23. In a machine for making chain cloth, the combination of two independently movable sets of hooks for holding one edge of the fabric, means for moving said sets of hooks vertically, longitudinally and transversely in dierent predetermined paths, and means for forming closed independent chain links on the hooks.

24. In a machine for making chain cloth,

` the combination with means -for holding one side of the fabric, with means for keeping said means' constantly under tension,l means for holding the other side of the fabric, and means for moving the last named means up and down.r

25. In a machine for making chain cloth, the combination with means for holding one side of the fabric, with means for keeping said means constantly under tension, means for holding the other side of the fabric, and means for making ring links and simultaneously passing them through the last named side of the fabric.

26. In a machine of v the character described, the combination .with means for holding the rings on one side of the fabric constantly under tension, means for engaging the rings onthe other side of the fabric, and means for making rings adjacent to the last named side and simultaneously passing them through the rings thereof so as to interlace them with the fabric.

27. In a machine of the character described, the combination of means for holding the edge of the fabric, means located adjacent thereto for feeding the wire and curling it up to form a series of separate closed rings, and means for cutting ofl' the wire.

28. In a machine of the character described, the combination with means for forming series of separate closed ring links, of meansv for holding ring-links previously formed, means for feeding-the wire to said links, and means for simultaneously bending said wire and passing it through a plurality of previously formed links.

29. In a machine of the character dei scribed, the combination of a wire feeding device, a movable holding device for the previously formed fabric adapted to successcribed, the combination with a hook adapt,-

sively move the links of fabric, and a set of dies for bending said Wire to form series of separate ring links and simultaneously pass them through the previously formed links.

30. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a wire feeding device, a movable holdingA device for the previously formed fabric adapted to successively move the links of fabric, a set of dies for bending said Wire to form series of separate ring links and simultaneously pass them through the previously formed links,

and means for intermittently moving the abric holder into position adjacent to the 31. In a machine ofthe class described, the combination of feed-rolls for feeding a wire forward, a guide for the wire, a back die having a concave surface, a pin die hav- Iing a circumferential groove adjacent to said surface, 'and a guard located adjacent to said groove. l

32. In a machine of the class described, the'combination of feed-rolls for feeding a Wire forward, a guide for the Wire, a back die having a concave surface, a pin die havin a circumferential groove adjacent to said surface, and a guard located adjacent to said groove and mounted on the back die for directing the wire after it passes through the dies.

33. rI`he combination of a guide for wire, a shield thereon, a set of dies for bending the wire to form chain links, a guard engaging the wire as itemerges from said guard and directing it into contact with said shield.'

34. In a machine for forming chain cloth, the combination of means for supporting a plurality of independent-ly movable closed chain links, and means for automatically forming new independently movable circular chain` links vinterlocked with' the previously formed links and separate from each other.

35, In a machine for forming chain cloth,

ed to engage a chain link for supporting one side of the fabric, with means for coiling wire around said hook to forma link.

38. In a machine of the character de scribed, the combination with means for coiling wire to form successive links, of link supporting hooks, and means for moving Asai hooks into a position to project one of said hooks through a link while it is `being coiled.

39. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a die for coiling Wire having a helical circumferential groove therein, and means adjacent to the die for turning the wire as it emerges therefrom in a direction opposite to that in which it is started by said groove.

40. The combination with a wire bending die having a slanting groove therein, of a guard located at the discharge` end of said groove and on the side of the groove toward which the wire isl directed by the groove, for changing the direction of the wire as it emerges to the opposite side of the groove.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. A

lFRANK BEMENT.

Witnesses:

GILMAN E. Jorr, EDWIN C. POTTER. 

